Black & White Day

Friday was an overcast day in Cedar Rapids. Although the pic below is in color, it could well have been in black and white.

 Downtown skyline shot over the snow-covered Cedar Lake

MERRY CHRISTMAS

From Kohawk TENNIS

We hope your Christmas is especially wonderful, and that your time with friends and family is fantastic, fun and fulfilling!

CVNT Hike

Cedar Valley Nature Trail(CVNT) is a rail trail running from Hiawatha(north of Cedar Rapids) to Waterloo. On days with snowfall it becomes(although they are banned) a snowmobile trail!

So to mix up the workouts a bit, I planned a snow hike for this morning. Got underway around 930, and finished 130. A bit of snow....maybe 2 inches on the average? As it warmed, the snow softened and the walking became a spot more difficult! Once again was fortunate enough to encounter no other hikers.

Anyway, I snapped a few pics. Here they are:

First Snow!

Well IT finally arrived. On 12/20/12 CR received its first taste of wintertime precipitation.

 

Leftovers from the Smokey Mts

A couple more pics I found......

As I said in a previous post, some of the Elkmont homes, were quite large and opulent. Well, opulent for homes built literally up a creek, in a remote location in the 1920's! Three and four bedrooms and 2-3 bathrooms were not uncommon, all had smallish kitchens and all had fireplaces.

 Frozen fog upon the start of my short hike on the Appalachian Trail, led to many views like above where leaves, trees, and even weeds where shrouded in ice/frost. A few miles up the trail(for sure UP!) and the sky cleared and was a deep, bright blue!

Walkabout IV-The Final Hike

So upon awaking this AM found out that I didn't want to drive all over the Park. Wanted a clean and simple day. Thus I returned to Elkmont and the Little River Trail. Hiked out of the abandoned cabin area and followed the road up the hill. Yes, the road, or most likely the old railroad bed up the river. Whatever it was, today it was an easy grade up and an easy grade down! I went upstream 4.2 miles, turned right onto Goshen Prong Trail, which promised to deliver me to the Appalachian Trail in just 7.7 short, uphill miles.

I settled for 1.5, bringing the grand total for Thursday to 11.4 on trail and one mile so far in Gatlinburg. Had to walk a half mile to get a good cup of coffee. Of course I did!

Today's photo assignment was "fast water". I suspected, and today confirmed, that this is a skill that requires practice. So I guess I had better return, right?

Anyway, some have been sent to Trash already. OK, about 25. Here are a few of the rest. Pick a favorite?

Walkabout Day III

Kind of a late start today, was 1030 before I took the first step upwards. Must be getting used to Eastern Time? All I know is when I walk down the hill for a morning coffee....at 8am....the streets of Gatlinburg are desolate.Either I am missing some great nightlife....probable...or Gatlinburg gets going at a later pace. Equally probable!

From today...not much because I spent the day walking uphill...ok, not all day. It just felt like it!

A bridge on the way up....

At the top... one hour and 45 minutes on the "Stairclimber"

8.1 miles and four hours later, the water runs downhill faster than I

The AT

Day II of the 2012 Winter Walkabout got underway with a foggy ascent of US Route 441 up to Newfound Gap. There I met up with the AT....aka The Appalachian Trail. Goes from Georgia to Maine.....I only borrowed four hours of it. 27 degrees at the start with fog, snow and ice.

But a few miles of climbing yielded these vistas:

Not bad, but also had this to deal with!

Yes, icicles! And finally, the AT Xmas tree!

Elkmont, Tennessee

Originally a resort town, Elkmont, Tennessee is now the site of the largest campground in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Where I am on my annual December walkabout. At one time dozens of cabins were located along the banks of the Little River. Elkmont was popular through the 1920s and the residents even had their own Social Club where Dinners were served and Dances held on Saturday nights. Rocking Chairs on the porch of the Appalachian Social Club near the present day Elkmont Campground.

from Today's Two Hour Trek

As I wander around and "see" things, and attempt to capture them via my trusty iPhone, I have come to realize that I possess a fascination with history. Specifically, the history of the settling of America. Thus, trains, rivers, barges, old buildings et al are likely to crop into this space frequently!

 The McCloud River Railroad Company was in existence from 1896-2009. Caught one of their cars on the tracks near Cedar Lake. More on McCloud River Railroad here

 Abandoned Union Pacific tracks in the New Bohemia area of Cedar Rapids that is being reclaimed from the Flood of June 2008.

 Passing beneath I-380 en route to Cedar Lake there is a Homeless Camp similar I imagine to the Hobo Towns that existed during the Great Depression. Above are the "Greeters"!

 Finally, Hose Company #4 further details available here

Today's Theme

12 Steps on A Avenue

A late afternoon stroll yielded these six snapshots. All within 12 steps! Appropriate as we rapidly approach the twelfth month of 2012

 

Governor Dodge SP--20 miles of hiking

 Cox Hollow Lake I

 Cox Hollow Lake II

 Cox Hollow Lake III

Cox Hollow Lake IV

When the State Park was constructed within the boundaries were the remnants of many an old homestead. These old farms existed prior to the advent of electricity to rural Wisconsin. Thus, each farm had a "Spring House"- an enclosed building built over a spring to keep milk, eggs and meats cool year-round.

 Ast Spring house

 Wilson Spring house

Stephen's Spring house